Chapter 26: Cutting Wood
The next morning, Su Shuilian and Lin Si Yao left for the large plaza, leaving the two wolves behind to play with the innkeeper's two kids at the inn.
After Su Shuilian offered to add meat soup to their dinner, the wolves obediently sat on the ground, allowing the kids to ride on their backs. When the mother of the children saw this, she decided to go back and tell her husband to perhaps give Su Shuilian and Lin Si Yao a discount since their dogs spent such quality time with their children.
And as for the wolves who were lying on the ground, they would remind themselves from time to time, Owner better not forget about her promise! We want to eat meat tonight!
Su Shuilian and Lin Si Yao went through multiple furniture stores. Although the furniture were all ready-made, the prices were not low. Just a two-meter long, well-carved bed paired with two small side drawers was thirty-two silvers. And to add a three drawer shoe cabinet was another two silver taels.
Seeing this, Su Shuilian was stunned. The house with two acres of land had only been fifteen silver, but just a few pieces of large furniture here already surpassed that price.
What Su Shuilian didn't realize was that all of the furniture on display were of the best quality and workmanship.
When the shop attendant finished with another customer and saw Su Shuilian's expression, he was able to guess what she was thinking fairly accurately.
"Is this Miss looking to buy some furniture?" asked the shop employee warmly. "Miss, the furniture out here are all our signature items. If you do not find these to your liking, we have more in the back."
Hearing this, Su Shuilian no longer minded the expensive furniture in front of her as she called Lin Si Yao over to follow her to the back of the store.
Sure enough, there were many pieces of simply-made furniture in the back. However, because these were already pre-made, the prices were still a bit high. Su Shuilian calculated that first to buy all of the necessary furniture would cost about eleven taels. That was way more than the five tales their hired carpenter had asked for to make every piece of furniture for their house.
Five taels ah. Su Shuilian sighed internally. From these prices in Fan Lou City, it was enough to feed a family of three for a full year. So why were these items so expensive?
"Miss, you do not know this, but in this city, there are no more than twenty carpenters. Most of the trees in the nearby forest have already been cut down, and the next closest forest is that beast-filled forest next to the Dashi Mountain. No one dares go there. Therefore, this city has to buy wood from neighboring cities, causing the prices to be exceptionally high now. To tell you the truth, Miss, our prices have yet to rise. You can even check, the two stores across the street have even higher prices." When the shop attendant saw Su Shuilain's brows furrow, he thought that she was dissatisfied with the prices here, so he added a few more words trying to coax her into buying their furniture.
Lin Si Yao pulled Su Shuilian closer and whispered in her ear, "Let's go back and talk." They made their way back to the inn.
---
"Wha...What? No!" Even before Lin Si Yao finished his words, Su Shuilian had already made up her mind about his idea. The shop attendant already said that no one dared to go into that dangerous forest, yet he wanted to go in, to chop a few trees?! That's mad!
"Listen to me." Lin Si Yao sighed as he led Su Shuilian to a table to pour her a cup of hot tea. Since they had been out, they had yet to drink any water, and her soft lips were already dry.
"When we stayed in the forest of Dashi Mountain for over a month, did you see any beasts then?" Lin Si Yao looked at her gently as he softly explained.
"Eh? That forest was the one on Dashi Mountain?" Su Shuilian blinked in confusion, finding the news hard to believe.
Lin Si Yao smiled. So she had been unaware, no wonder she had such a reaction. Nodding his head, he continued, "Yes, my guess is that the beasts of Dashi Mountain have long disappeared."
"Why do you think they don't exist? Just because we didn't see any doesn't mean they're not out there." Su Shuilian moistened her lips, thinking, Which book states such a thing? It is better to believe there was than to believe there wasn't.
Lin Si Yao pointed at the white tiger pelt in the baggage as he smiled and said, "I believe the beast should have been that."
"....." Su Shuilian was stunned. No...no way right?
Was her luck that good? When she had arrived in this world, she had escaped danger from this tiger? If the two wolves had not fought against it that day, would she have survived till now?
Su Shuilian clenched her sweaty palms. She now understood that she was very fortunate. Even though the wolves had only done so to protect their cubs, it had also benefited her. Su Shuilian decided that she should treat the wolves better now. Oh yes, she must definitely remember to give them meat tonight.
---
That night, Lin Si Yao traveled to Dashi Mountain.
Although he did not tell her about his departure, he left a note for her. If nothing went wrong, then he should be back by tomorrow afternoon. He had awoken the two wolves having a sweet dream about meat in the backyard, and in front of their innocent eyes, made his way to Dashi Mountain with a leap.
When Su Shuilian went to his room in the morning for breakfast, she found the note and realized that he had not told her about his departure to the mountains. Her heart filled with mixed feelings, the most prominent were that she was touched and angry. Touched by his thoughtfulness and angry at his boldness.
So what if his martial arts were good? So what if the beast no longer existed? Even if it's just to chop wood, how could he, a single person, carry all that wood?
---
When Lin Si Yao arrived at the entrance of the forest, he picked a rarely traveled route and entered the depths of the forest.
Considering the timber colors that Su Shuilian would most likely prefer, he picked seven fully grown trees that were dark purple and about two adults-wide in terms of thickness. That should be more than enough for making bedroom furniture. His other selections were common blood red beech trees. The deep, dark red should be festive, and the amount should be generous enough to make furniture.
At this line of thought, Lin Si Yao's cold eyes warmed slightly with tenderness. However, his movements did not slow as he adjusted his internal force. Using just his hands, the several trees he had picked collapsed to the ground.
Using rattan rope to tie the trees into seven bundles of five trees each, Lin Si Yao went back and forth seven times as he carried all thirty-five trees to the entrance of the forest before using his inner energy to dry the wood. He then sat crossed-legged for a while to recover his qi.
After circulating his internal energy a few times, his internal force had finally recovered sufficiently.
The usually unperturbed Lin Si Yao could not help but be happy. This Jade Fairy's Essence was not an ordinary item. With just two spoonfuls, not only had he survive from the brink of death, but he also recovered his lost internal force. If this were to be known to the martial world, it would most definitely become a bloody fight.
With this thought, Lin Si Yao frowned. No matter what, he should quickly complete this task of completing the house, and move out of the inn. If they were to lose that gourd filled with the rest of the Jade Fairy's Essence, it would easily cause the covetous wrath of the people of the martial world.
In the past, Lin Si Yao would not have worried. No matter how dangerous these people were, they were still no match for him. However, it was different now. He was about to start a new life with his own beloved woman, and in the future, he would have his own cute and smart children.
If people were able to find a lead to the Jade Fairy's Essence, the most likely victim would be Su Shuilian.
Lin Si Yao clenched his fists. He would never allow such a thing to happen.
Chapter 27: After A Long Absence!
That afternoon, Lin Si Yao returned to the inn.
Su Shuilian was resting, with her chin on her hand, as she waited for him. Seeing that he had come back unharmed, she happily exclaimed, "You're back!"
"Mn." Lin Si Yao nodded, his eyes flashing with deep joy at her warm welcome.
"The timber was carted to Fan Hua Town." Taking the wet towel from Su Shuilian, Lin Si Yao wiped his dusty face and hands. After changing his outer garment, he led her to a seat.
"Shuilian, just hire several carpenters to work on the furniture at the same time," Lin Si Yao suddenly proposed.
Su Shuilian blinked several times in confusion. "What happened?" She had never seen him so anxious.
Lin Si Yao had looked down so it was hard to read his expression.
"Okay." Su Shuilian gently smiled as she held onto his large hands. "I will always believe in you."
When Lin Si Yao heard this, he looked up at her before nodding. "I will not deceive you."
Su Shuilian was unsure whether to laugh or cry. She had thought he was going to explain, but this kind of response...a promise? Her cheeks flushed, revealing her inner joy.
---
Su Shuilian hid under the canopy as she stared at the pants she wore under her skirt.... O'heaven, are you doing this on purpose?
Previously, she had worried every month about it not coming, but just when she had come to accept it and had forgotten about it, her body started to menstruate, catching her by surprise.
What should she do? Su Shuilian laid stiffly on the bed, afraid to move and cause a mess on the white sheets.
Fortunately, she had previously bought those two rolls of white cotton fabric. It took her a bit before she finished several linings that were about a hand-width. She stacked them together and put them in her pants, hoping that this would help her avoid staining one of her only two change of clothes.
But because of this, she didn't dare to leave her room.
It was at this time that Su Shuilian started to miss the cotton pads from Su House. The other linings were made of the same thin cotton fabric she was using now, but the inside had a thick layer of cotton along with water absorbent paper. Although it felt weird, at least it would not cause a mess on her skirt pants.
Thinking about it, Su Shuilian lightly rubbed her slightly distended abdomen. She hoped she wouldn't bleed too heavily at once. Slowly, she fell asleep.
---
That morning, Lin Si Yao had left early to supervise the construction in Fan Hua Town.
He had hired another three carpenters to work alongside the previously hired carpenter, Feng Laoliu. The four were busy working on the house.
They had never seen this kind of colored wood before. They had secretly guessed that it had been brought from the outside. After all, they had heard from the villagers that it had been brought here in a four-wheeled cart.
Because of their profession, they were very much aware of what raw materials were sold at the store. Although they had never seen such a purple-colored wood before, it seemed to be sturdier than authentic rosewood.
Their whispers were completely overheard by Lin Si Yao, but he had no interest in clarifying the matter. As long as it did not affect their speed or ability to work, there was no need to stop their gossiping.
Holding a branch, Lin Si Yao circled around the house a few times, before finally stopping in the backyard. Next to the cherry tree, he drew a circle. Ignoring the strange looks from the carpenters, he said, "Build a bench here."
The four carpenters looked at each other. In the end, it was the eldest, Feng Laoliu, who spoke up. "Gongzi wants to use the wood to make a bench?" In the yard, it was usually popular to have stone tables and seats, but wooden ones....
Lin Si Yao glanced at them coldly, his meaning clear. I'm telling you to do it, not telling you to say useless words.
The four quickly lowered their heads and quickly got to work. Heavens, just who was this person? With just a glance, they felt a heavy pressure suppressing them. Forget it, just keep working. Once done, they can finally go home to their wives. Fortunately, the pay for this task was not low. Moreover, if they can complete it within ten days, there would be a bonus! Therefore, it's best not to waste any time.
Lin Si Yao no longer paid them any mind as he continued to think while walking around. In a short while, he had the carpenters build several more benches of the same style under the Jujube tree near the river in front of the house. He also instructed a set of quincuncial piles* to be built on the flat meadow near the river.
*(Quincuncial piles are used by martial artists for training.)
It was then that the four realized that this imposing man who was not past his early twenties must be a martial artist. Otherwise, why would a farmer think of having quincuncial piles built? And to even use such sturdy hardwood, it's definitely not just for display! With this, the hands of the four carpenters started to move at a faster rate as they used all of their strength to complete this project.
---
When Lin Si Yao returned back to the inn, Su Shuilian was still sleeping soundly on the bed.
Lin Si Yao gently caressed her forehead. He was relieved that nothing was out of the ordinary. Sweeping a glance around the room, he noticed that nothing had changed since he had left that morning.
He frowned. He headed downstairs to ask the innkeeper what had happened that afternoon. When he found out that she had not ordered food or gone out for lunch today, Lin Si Yao frowned more deeply.
After ordering a few light dishes to be brought up, Lin Si Yao returned to her room as he continued to guess the reasons why she hadn't eat.
"Eh, you've returned? Is it that late?" Su Shuilian was awakened by the noise and sluggishly opened her eyes. That had been a nice nap. She had almost forgotten about the pain in her lower abdomen.
When she saw Lin Si Yao directing the waiter where to put the food and hot water, Su Shuilian finally realized that the day was almost over.
"Are you uncomfortable anywhere?" Lin Si Yao wrung the hot towel before he gently wiped her cheeks that had become red from sleep.
When Su Shuilian heard his question, her face flushed even more red.
When Lin Si Yao saw this, he gave her a puzzled glance. If not for her normal temperature, he would have thought that she had a fever.
"Didn't eat this afternoon?" Lin Si Yao gently helped her to sit up and leaned her against the headrest. He got up to fill a bowl with rice and a bit of each side dish with a pair of chopsticks before sitting back down next to her. This kind of posture, it seemed as though he was about to help feed her.
"I'll... I'll do it myself." Su Shuilian reached for the bowl and chopsticks.
"Tell me what's wrong, or else I'll feed you." With a swift motion, the bowl and chopsticks moved from one hand to the other. Lin Si Yao threatened her with a cold voice, but it contained a slightly worried tone as he set the conditions.
Su Shuilian was angry and embarrassed at his words. She turned her head, ignoring him.
Lin Si Yao sighed lightly. "Shuilian, is it something that is not appropriate to tell me? ...Or is it that I do not have the qualifications for you to tell me? "
"Don't talk nonsense!" When Su Shuilian heard this, she immediately turned around. Casting aside the etiquette between a man and woman, she covered his mouth with her hands, not allowing him to continue his self-deprecating words.
Lin Si Yao took her hand and held it in his palm, his deep black eyes looking at her without blinking.
"My...thing...came." Unable to resist him any longer, Su Shuilian softly mumbled this one sentence, confusing Lin Si Yao.
"What thing?" Lin Si Yao asked as he saw that she continued to look down without any intention of saying anymore.
"My period!" Su Shuilian yelled furiously before immediately blushing. When she realised that she had spoken in an inappropriately loud voice, she quickly covered her mouth.
Lin Si Yao's mind went blank for a bit. When he finally figured out what she meant, his face could not help but also flush.
---
"The innkeeper's wife wants to know if this is enough." Lin Si Yao entered Su Shuilian's room while holding a wad of white cotton.
"Oh, that...should be enough." Su Shuilian rubbed her lower abdomen as she rested on the bed. Receiving the cotton from Lin Si Yao, she estimated that this much could make about four or five pieces.
Yes, Su Shuilian, the Eldest Miss Su, was about to sew her own sanitary pads by just relying on her past memory. After all, she did not want to lay in bed for the rest of the week. Moreover, even if she stayed still in bed, it didn't mean that it wouldn't stain her clothing. Since she was already bedbound, why not think of a good countermeasure?
Common folk would normally use their harvested cotton while it was white and fluffy to make cotton robes and comforters , leaving some leftover. Although cotton was not expensive here and therefore did not sell for much, they would sell these leftovers to the passing peddlers.
This must have then been taken from the innkeeper's own private savings.
As Su Shuilian requested, Lin Si Yao took out a thick embroidery needle from her bag along with some uncut pieces of thin white fabric and brought it to her. Although he was curious, Lin Si Yao did not ask her about it. He speculated that it had something to do with her period.
At that thought, Lin Si Yao's face flushed with an almost indiscernible blush.
Once a woman started menstruating, it means that she is able to give birth to children. Children... he had been an orphan and in the past twenty years, he had lived in the darkness as the killer Si Ling. However, in the future, he would be able to even have children of his own...
Chapter 28: Scraps
"Madam, thank you." After Su Shuilian finished making cotton pads during the night, she gingerly came downstairs the next morning and slowly made her way to the innkeeper's wife to thank her.
"No, no, no need to be courteous." The innkeeper's wife was also very polite, especially after their dogs had subdued her two reckless and intemperate children. Her attitude towards Su Shuilian was much warmer compared to others.
"If Miss needs more, just ask, because I still have some. No need to be polite." Although the innkeeper's wife did not know why Su Shuilian needed cotton, she was careful not to pry to maintain the privacy of their customers. What the customers did not want to share, they naturally would not pester about it.
"Thank you, madam." Su Shuilian smiled as she nodded.
From the cotton the madam had provided, she had been able to make six pads. Compared to the ones that she had used before, without the absorbent paper, they were less effective. Still, it was at least much better than just thin fabric. Since last night, she had changed it once and it had yet to leak.
She washed the first cotton pad that she used before putting it in the sunlight next to the window. Because of the bright sun, it dried in just half a day. It was possible to re-use these pads, but after several uses, the cotton in the pad would become stiff and would need to be fluffed up by opening the pad.
Anyway, Su Shuilian was very satisfied with these pads. After all, the maid who had cleaned her room this morning said that most common women would use pads filled with ashes of plants. The cotton pads that she was using were only affordable by the ladies of wealthy families. When she heard that, she was ashamed. Well, she was unaware of this. She also found it difficult to believe that she could use plant ash in pads.
Su Shuilian clenched her fist. Next spring, she must make sure they plant some cotton in the two acres of land that they have. As for how to grow cotton bushes, after they finish moving into their house, she'll go to a bookstore to buy some horticultural books and read about them. If they wanted to integrate into the town, they must know something about farming. In addition, she doubted that Lin Si Yao, an ex-assassin, would know anything about being a farmer. The farming life will be a long haul with a lot of needs.
---
Lin Si Yao had been traveling to Fan Hua Town everyday. In the morning, he would leave with a few meat buns to eat at noon with some water. Seeing this, the four carpenters did not dare to go back home and eat. Since their client is like that, how can they think of going back home to eat hot food and soup for lunch? So the next day, each carpenter came with two wuwu tou* for lunch. Their speed also increased each day. It'll be the end of the contracted ten days in three more days. If they don't finish in time, besides the unhappy face that they'd be shown, they won't get their bonuses.
(wuwu tou 窝窝头= steamed corn bun)
Today, several poniangs peaked above the low walls of the house, their mouths quietly opening and closing as they gossiped about something.
"They're just here wanting to discuss this lumber. Not unexpected. It actually took them seven days to come here. That shows how much they have endured." Feng Laoliu looked over before shaking his head and refocusing on his work.
"Ai, ain't that the woman from Hua House? Even if she dares to show up?" When the youngest of the carpenters, Fang Dasheng, who'd occasionally glance over at the crowd saw Liu Shi, he could not help but exclaim out loud.
"Tsk, you are really ignorant. In this town, the Hua House's madam and her daughter-in-law are infamous. You want to find the word 'shame' on her face? That would be impossible!" said the slightly lame Wang Shuifa, the patrilineal cousin of the village head Wang Gengfa, as he worked with one hand.
Usually whenever people wanted woodworking to be done, they would rarely hire him. One, because he was handicapped and two, because he was related to the village elder. If he were to mess up or do an unsatisfactory job, people would be unsure whether or not they should give him a deduction.
It was only because Lin Si Yao requested an additional three skilled carpenters that Feng Laoliu had mentioned him. Otherwise, he wouldn't have suggested him. But it was only when he saw how Lin Si Yao did not complain about his lame arm did he feel relieved.
"What A Fa said is correct. That Madam of Hua House is really shrewd. Even my wife had suffered several losses from her." The last one to speak was Tian Dafu, the neighbor of Hua House. The poniang of his house had a straightforward temperament, so when she had married into the Tian House, she had suffered several losses from Liu Shi. From then on, they never agreed on the same plate (didn't get along).
When Lin Si Yao came out of the right wing room after taking measurements for furniture to be built and heard the whispers of the four carpenters, he raised his brow. He looked towards the knee-high wall fence and at the crowd of women there.
"Uh... Gongzi, do you remember me?" When the Madam of Hua House saw Lin Si Yao come out of the house, she cheekily smiled as she made her way to him.
Lin Si Yao lifted his brow. Out of all the women, how could he not remember her? However, since he had promised Su Shuilian not to hurt others, Lin Si Yao suppressed his urge to throw this woman into the river.
"That uh, gongzi, we uh... saw that gongzi had a lot of wood. After you finish using it for furniture, there surely will be a lot of scraps.... Hurhur... Can you gift them to us?" After being pushed out of the group by the other poniang, Liu Shi stammered out her request as she was forced to speak for all of them.
Scraps? Lin Si Yao inwardly sneered while his expression remained stoic. Turning his head, he asked the four carpenters in a loud voice, "So the leftover timber are always scraps?"
"Gongzi, what kind of joke are you saying? With this much wood, even after finishing what you requested, there'll be several logs left untouched. It's not as they say, that everything will be scrapped." Understanding his glance, Feng Laoliu feigned calmness as he replied.
"Very good." Lin Si Yao nodded his head. He then turned to look at the crowd of persistent women. "After five days, you can take them," he said before entering the detached kitchen to take some more measurements.
When the group of poniang heard this, they happily scattered away.
The four carpenters looked at each other, confused as to why Lin Si Yao said that.
It wasn't until evening did Lin Si Yao open his mouth and say to the four who were packing up for home, "I'll extend it to two more days. If you do not complete this within five days, not only will you not get a bonus, you also won't get the remaining wood either."
When Feng Laoliu and the others heard this, they rejoiced. So this meant that if they completed this task within the allotted time, they would get to share the rest of the wood between themselves?
The four as one looked at Lin Si Yao, eyes full of desire.
Feng Laoliu patted his chest as he said "Can do! Can do! Gongzi, do not worry, we guarantee it'll be done! Even if we are not finished on the given day, we'll light a candle and work on it at night!" The other three vigorously nodded their heads, afraid he would take back his words.
Lin Si Yao nodded and no longer paid them any mind. He turned around and disappeared from their sight with a single leap.
"Wah! He really is a martial artist!" Fang Dasheng exclaimed with glittering eyes.
"Yeah ah. Seeing that he didn't bother closing the doors...does it mean..."
That night, the four quickly grabbed some candles from their homes and worked until very late at night. When their wives heard about the reason, they were very supportive and even offered to come and help. Just thinking of the leftover logs, even split between the four of them, it would still be enough to make a large table for each of them. No matter what, they will do anything to get it.
Chapter 29: Acacia Wood
"A Yao, are you sure we don't need to go together?" Su Shuilian asked expectantly as she stopped Lin Si Yao who was about to depart for Fan Hua Town.
They heard that the furniture for the house had all been completed, the only thing yet to be done was the brick path leading to the front of the house. Moreover, she had heard from Lin Si Yao that he intended to remove that redundant wall currently surrounding the house and replace it with a man-tall fence with a large double gate.
He had never let her touch any of these kinds of jobs and had her stay at the inn to either accompany the two wolves or to sew. But even after she had already finished sewing all the bolts of cloth that they'd bought into clothing, he still did not allow her to go with him. Did he think that she was useless?
Lin Si Yao, seeing that her eyes were overflowing with her desire to follow along, sighed and said lightly, "Fine, but be careful when we get there. Don't hurt yourself."
Su Shuilian naturally promised to do so. She quickly ran back to grab the bag of finished curtains she intended to install.
"No rush. The house is still dirty." Lin Si Yao received the large bag and placed it into the dresser. He did not want the curtains, which she had spent a whole day laboring over without rest to complete, to be dirtied after being hung up for a few days while the work was still ongoing.
"Oh, yes." Su Shuilian obediently nodded her head. She had yet to see any of the renovations and was very excited for the new changes!
---
"Look, look! It's this particular household's..."
"Oh, I really wouldn't be able to tell. He looks so young, where did this merchant come from?"
"I don't know. But from what the daughter-in-law of the Hua Family said, their house's furniture were all built from an unknown type of wood. She was able to take a piece and brought it home to use as a cutting board. She said it was really useful and wouldn't chip at all."
"Tsk tsk. The skin of the Hua Family's poniang is really thick, to even have the gall to come and collect the scraps."
"Ai... I heard from the Tian Household's daughter-in-law, that when her husband worked twelve days on this project and earned 600 coppers, he was also given a lot of wood. She has been bugging her husband for a new table ever since."
"Really? Tsk, tsk! I heard from Wang Gengfa, that Cripple Wang also went to help this time. Not only was he not rejected, he was also rewarded with a bunch of that wood. His wife had him make a bathtub out of it. Ai, why didn't the rascal from our family learn some woodworking!?"
---
When Su Shuilian passed the large pond at the center of Fan Hua Town, several housewives who were embroidering under the willow tree began to gossip quietly. However, her keen hearing allowed her to pick up bits and pieces of their conversation.
"Are you to blame for this?" Su Shuilian smiled as she looked at Lin Si Yao. Now all the wives in Fan Hua Town would want their husbands to learn woodworking and she found it funny.
Lin Si Yao raised his brows but remained silent. What did this have to do with him? All he had done was to reward the four carpenters for completing their work .
"But in that case... is there enough wood left for the fence?" She remembered his idea for the new fence but how was he going to make one with all of the leftover wood given away?
"I have my ways, naturally." Lin Si Yao comforted her with a smile.
What he did not tell her was that, four nights ago, he had entered the Dashi Mountain again to get more wood. This time, his target was the ten thick-trunked phoebe trees specially well-suited for fence-making. He did not call for a wagon to transport them back either but carried them home on his back. Aside from Feng Laoliu, who was summoned to help with making the fence, no one knew about this.
Feng Laoliu was a tight-lipped man by nature. Having earned a few months worth of salary from the completion of the contract four days ago and receiving enough wood to make his son a small table on top of that, he was naturally willing to listen to Lin Si Yao. Moreover, he was promised the leftover wood after this project as well. With such a deal on the table, Feng Laoliu would come to their house every day after an early breakfast and would go home carrying a lantern. It had taken him four consecutive nights to finally complete the circle around the house. He had waited until the work at his store was over for today to come install the fence and collect the promised wood.
---
"What is it?" asked Lin Si Yao, confused by Su Shuilian's motionless body and stunned expression after they entered the house. Did she not like the color of wood that he had chosen?
"A Yao, these... were really brought from that forest?" Su Shuilian asked as she looked around the room full of furniture made from deep-purple wood.
She gently felt the small, delicately carved round table standing in the center of the bedroom. The grain of the tabletop was shaped like a chicken wing (雞翅 Jichi). Ai, with that faint fragrance of balsam, it really must have been Jichi wood! Su Shuilian sighed secretly recalling the time when the old patriarch had ordered someone to get him a handrail chair made from Jichi wood. He had cherished it to the point of not even allowing her and her siblings to touch it.
But now, Su Shuilian looked around at a room full of furniture made from Jichi wood... How could she not be shocked?
"Is... is there a problem with the wood?" Lin Si Yao questioned with brows knitted.
"This is Jichi wood sometimes known as hongdou, or even as Acacia wood. This wood is very sturdy, has a delicate fragrance, and bugs rarely live in it. In short, it's very precious." Su Shuilian turned around and told him everything she knew about Jichi wood.
"Acacia wood*?" Lin Si Yao repeated the words as he looked at Su Shuilian with a smile. He had definitely made a good choice. Judging by her prior stunned look and the delight after she recovered, it seemed she really liked this material.
(Acacia 相思 = can also be translated as to yearn or to long for)
"The Blood Beech wood is also precious but does not compare to this." Su Shuilian was put in a daze by the sight of the furniture of the matching color in the other rooms.
Heavens, didn't they say the furniture here was not cheap anymore? Yet they used these rarely seen types of wood to make a full set for their house... Yes, all of this was thanks to him adventuring to the dangerous Dashi Mountain to get it.
Su Shuilian's heart trembled. Although he was a man of few words and she always had to guess the underlying meaning of what he said, it was because of this that she had grown attracted to him. She also now realized that her feelings toward Xi Yi were just an attachment similar to sibling love, completely unlike what she felt now for Lin Si Yao, for whom she would long as though three autumns had passed just from not seeing him for a day.
"What's the matter?" When Lin Si Yao came back from checking out how Feng Laoliu was doing with the fence, he frowned when he saw that Su Shuilian had stood where she was before he left, next to the kang* with both hands resting on it.
*(Kang 炕 = an elevated flooring that can be heated with fire. Can also be used as a bed.)
The sound of his voice, jolted Su Shulian awake from her daze. She looked at him, blinking, "A Yao..."
"N?" Lin Si Yao led her to sit on the kang. He looked at her with a question in his eyes.
"Nothing." When Su Shuilian realized what she was thinking about, she shyly pulled on her skirt. She said to change the topic, "Oh, yes, didn't you say that you were going to make a small brick path and erect the fence today?"
"Yes, Feng Laoliu is already working on the fence. We will not be able to make the path today, though." Seeing that there was nothing wrong with her, Lin Si Yao stood up. He grabbed a gourd filled with water and handed it to her.
Su Shuilian took a small sip. Thinking for a bit on how to make herself useful, she said, "Then I'll go clean a bit. The interior of the house should be ready by now, right?"
Lin Si Yao nodded, took the gourd and drank a mouthful of water. Su Shuilian blushed at the sight but seeing that Lin Si Yao did not care, she could only look down and pretend she didn't notice. Only her rapid heart rate reminded her that this was a very intimate act.
Lin Si Yao's eyes flashed with a concealed mirth. He was well aware of what two people sharing a gourd of water meant but he was in a good mood and curious to see her reaction. He didn't expect her to look down, red to the ears, without any intention of stopping him. What did this mean? It meant that she had accepted their open acts of intimacy. Lin Si Yao's eyes darkened. They had to wed before moving into this house. Otherwise... he glanced at the two-meter-wide bed in the bedroom... Was he going to sleep on this cold stone floor?
Chapter 30: First Kiss
The next few days Su Shuilian was busy cleaning the whole house. As for Lin Si Yao, he was in the courtyard setting the bricks. These bricks were bought from a peddler, so the price was not high. However, it did not include installation, so Lin Si Yao pulled his sleeves up as he dutifully worked using the hands that were familiar with a knife. Lin Si Yao worked on the pavement in the back and the front of the house.
The man-tall phoebe fence was already installed around the whole house. The top was as sharp as thorns, and the bottom firmly planted in the ground. Each stake had a palm's width with two finger's space in between. This allowed air circulation and inside the fence one could still feel the blowing breeze. From the outside, one could faintly see the courtyard scenery, but it would be hard to make out the details. This way, they can be both safe and comfortable.
Feng Laoliu liked this setup so much that he had praised it to no end. He even added that, when he were to redo his house, he would do the same. Lin Si Yao paid his wage for the day and gave him the leftover half of a phoebe tree to him. Feng Laoliu thanked him profusely before he picked up the timber and rushed back home to his wife with the happy news.
Su Shuilian laughed incessantly at the sight.
"Did you tell them where the lumber came from?" Su Shuilian asked.
Lin Si Yao took a long look at her before shaking his head. It wasn't because he didn't want to share resources, but because it was dangerous. Even though the tiger was already gone, he was unsure if there would be other powerful beasts in that forest. It may be profitable in the short term, but what if one day someone lost his life because of it?
"Nm, I also think it is best not to tell them, what if..." Su Shuilian also thought of the same possibility, "You too, don't go there anymore." She looked at Lin Si Yao in worry as she softly advised.
"Nm." Lin Si Yao nodded. If there was no longer a need, then he will not enter it again.
---
Su Shuilian stopped only when the three main rooms and the kitchen were at long last clean without a speck of dust.
"Whew!" She let out a breath as she kneaded her sore back and legs.
The past five days she had been cleaning non-stop. Every day, the wood would always produce some dust, but with her continuous cleaning, Su Shuilian saw less and less of it. And today, when she walked in, it seemed to be quite clean, but she still picked up a towel and wiped the furniture. After sweeping the stone tile floor did she finally stop to rest.
"A Yao, let's rest a bit." After Su Shuilian washed her hands and face, she filled a basin with clean water. She twisted the wet towel as she handed it to Lin Si Yao who was in the backyard making a narrow brick path towards the river bank.
Lin Si Yao stopped and got up; his face was covered with sweat. He took the wet towel from Su Shuilian and wiped his face. Suddenly, as if he had now realized something, he pulled Su Shuilian's hands and stared at them.
"A Yao?" Su Shuilian was puzzled. Was there something wrong with her hands? She was only wiping the furniture and sweeping the floor; there shouldn't be any wounds. It had just turned a bit rough.
Yes, it was because seeing that her once white and tender hands had turned a bit rough did Lin Si Yao frown.
"It's nothing. Didn't you see how Aunt Lao and the others have calluses on their hands?" Su Shuilian was a bit embarrassed by his stare. She tried to pull her hands back, but Lin Si Yao grasped onto them even tighter.
"You are different." Lin Si Yao whispered. She is different, she should be protected and not do such rough labor.
"There is no difference, A Yao. I really do like this kind of life." Hearing the self-blame in his voice, Su Shuilian held onto Lin Si Yao's hands. His own hands, didn't they also get more rough these days too?
"You really... like?" Lin Si Yao looked up and asked as Su Shuilian continued to examine his hands.
Su Shuilian nodded, her neck tinged with a light blush.
Lin Si Yao sighed as he embraced her, "You should have a better life, not..."
"I like it now. A Yao, although my past was more leisurely, it wasn't this happy." Su Shulian buried her head in his chest as she said in a muffled voice. The previous Su Shulian had never stuck her hands in the running water (led a pampered life). With her daily necessities provided, it was considered a noble lifestyle. But now that she had arrived here, she experienced for the first time simple, yet fulfilling happiness. Was it because of this man? He was able to provide her a feeling of safety and comfort like no one before.
The sun was setting as they stood next to the river bank, enveloped by the fragrance of herbs as it rose to the skies.
The two remained silent in each other's embrace. Although they said no words, they were aware of each other's feelings.
Hand in hand till death. At times, it was a simple thing to do, other times, it would never be achieved even in a whole lifetime.
---
"Aunt Lao, thank you very much." Su Shuilian received Madam Lao's gift of a pair of candles. It was to congratulate them on moving into the house in a few days.
It was Fan Hau Town's unwritten rule; whenever a new house was built, the people of the village would gift a pair of candles. It was used to burn as a ritual and only after would it be considered auspicious.
"What kind of words is that? It's just a pair of candles! Although my eldest son can't do much, he is good at this kind of plaything." Aunt Lao smiled as she joked about her son, inside, she continuously praised Su Shuilian's newly furnished house.
"Aunt Lao, we think we will move in after three days. Do you think that would be appropriate?" Su Shuilian poured her a cup of water.
"After three days? The eighth day of the eighth month*? That's a great date!" Aunt Lao patted her thighs. The eighth day of the eighth month was a very auspicious day, suitable for moving in and marriage.
(This is based on the chinese lunar calendar)
"That uh, girl... don't blame this Aunt for being nosy, but when do you and Lin Gongzi plan to marry?" Aunt Lao asked in a quiet voice, her eyes looking into the room with a single large bed.
When Su Shuilian was reminded of this, did she finally remember. These days, other than being busy with cleaning the house, they were also busy purchasing small household objects at the plaza and had completely forgotten about it. However, Su Shuilian's mouth twitched; Lin Si Yao did not mention it either.
"Listen to me, since you are engaged, why not do them both on the same day, it would be easier that way! Because if you were to set it on another day, in a single bed... it would not be comfortable sleeping right? Also, it wouldn't be good if others were to find out..." Aunt Lao took the courage to say the words from her heart.
She viewed Su Shuilian as a maiden.They didn't have many interactions, but Su Shulian still gave her a set of four cotton towels. Although the Hua House had gone back on their contract, she still insisted on giving her the gift that she already prepared. Who wouldn't like this kind of generous and understanding girl? It was then Aunt Lao and Su Shuilian had gotten even closer.
"Okay, I will discuss it with A Yao later. It's just... Would it be too rushed?" Su Shuilian nodded her head, expressing that she would consider Aunt Lao's proposal. However, with their house almost done and the date of their moving in already settled, adding a marriage celebration to that... would they have enough time to prepare for it?
---
"Is there something you want to tell me?" Taking in the dried firewood and washing his hands, Lin Si Yao walked in, seeing Su Shuilian's hesitant look. Seeing that she had something to say, he sat beside her and took her hands. He gently pressed on a few acupuncture points for enhanced blood flow as he quietly asked.
"A Yao..." Su Shuilian took several breaths and looked down, "We... we..."
"Our wedding arrangements?" Seeing her red flushed face, he accurately guessed.
"Eh? How did you know? Did you hear Aunt Lao's words?" Su Shuilian looked up in surprise.
Lin Si Yao smiled as he shook his head. He helped gather her loose hair in front of her face and pushed it back behind her ear.
"You, what do you plan to do?" Su Shuilian loosened her shoulders.
"Marry the same day we move in." Lin Si Yao continued to press her acupuncture points.
"Then why did..." you did not mention anything? Su Shuilian swallowed the rest of her words back, because Lin Si Yao looked up. His shining eyes looked straight at her.
"Shuilian..." Lin Si Yao called her name in a low voice. "The two of us... I am an orphan, and you... I was afraid that in the future you..."
"A Yao." Su Shuilian rushed to rebut his fears, "You... was my confession unclear before?" It was as if she was almost growling in anger, "Or is it that you think I will become a burden, then I....woo..."
Lin Si Yao leaned over and sealed her mouth with his lips. This silly woman, why is it that she is always misunderstanding his words? Was his usual actions unclear to her?
Taking advantage that Su Shuilian was stunned at his sudden kiss, Lin Si Yao slipped in his tongue and intertwined it with hers. Only when she had difficulty breathing did he stop. However, he refused to leave her charming and tender lips.
"You are mine, Shuilian." With a low sigh, Lin Si Yao gently whispered in her ears.
Su Shuilian blushed red as she hurriedly buried her head into his chest. He...he actually kissed her. Wasn't this kind of thing something only husbands and wives do in private?
"In three days, we will wed, do you have any more questions?" Lin Si Yao stroked her cheeks, as he laughed and asked.